Dismissal of IAF officer recommended for outraging modesty

New Delhi: A Court Martial has recommended
dismissal of a senior IAF officer after finding him guilty of
"outraging the modesty" of junior female colleague.

Wing Commander H S Virk, posted in Agra, was tried by
the General Court Martial (GCM) in Bareilly last month after a
lady officer alleged that he was passing objectionable
comments on her.

The GCM, headed by Group Captain P Kumar, found him
guilty and recommended his dismissal.
While a confirmation of the sentence by the Air Officer
Commanding-in-Chief of Allahabad-based Central Command is
awaited, Virk has approached the Armed Forces Tribunal,
contending that he was being kept in "illegal detention" by
the Air Force.

Appearing before the Tribunal on Virk`s behalf, his
counsel Rajiv Manglik said the GCM had recommended the Wing
Commander`s dismissal but the IAF had kept him in confinement
even though there was no sentence of imprisonment.
Arguing against the plea, the IAF said Virk could not be
released as the sentence recommended by the GCM was yet to be
confirmed by the higher authorities.

Hearing both sides, the Tribunal directed the IAF to
release the officer on bail and to send him on leave for two
weeks.